The Jazz Age: The 1920’s in The Great

Gatsby

Gatsby:Novel of the Jazz AgeWritten by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Focuses on the ultra wealthy

Reflects the wildness and excess of the era

F Scott FitzgeraldLife parallels the story- poor to rich

Raised in St. Paul

Zelda married him only when he was rich

Moved among the wealthy- saw the purposelessness and immorality of the rich

Literary GenreFalls into the category of literary modernism: pessimistic view of mankind

Considered a BILDUNGSROMAN- the story of a boy becoming a man

Nick celebrates a birthday- learns a vital truth of life:

Being rich can make people jerks

American Dream is born

American Dream first written about by Horatio Alger

Wrote first “rags to riches” stories- poor boy works hard and becomes successful

135 dime novels: Tattered Tom

Why AMERICANdream?1. Ethic of hard work,

survival

2. Immigrants arrived in huge numbers from Europe

3. Not possible in many other countries : No caste system

Why 1920’s?Cultural ForcesAdvertising begins

Consumer Confidence high: Post War Bliss

40 hour work week: Life seems good, more free time

Credit: Makes huge purchases possible

Henry Ford: A GeniusHenry Ford creates a middle class for the first time

Pays $5.00/day 8 hour day

For the first time, factory workers can afford the item that they make! ¾ own cars

Icons of Industry and Business Rockefeller

JC Penney

Firestone

Sears and Roebuck

Carnegie

Birth of the“Nouveau Riche”Means (in French) new wealth

Implications:

Culturally inferior

Lacking in good taste

Stupid/ uneducated

Wild Women

Flappers are created

Exemplify the paradigm shift of the age

Wild, drinking, smoking, sexually promiscuous

Also capable of achieving success (through sports, )

Wild MusicJazz Music

Influenced by African American and Cajun music

Creation of Jazz Clubs

Parents hated it! “Stay away from Jazz and liquor”

American Dream in 2009?American Idol

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Internet Businesses

Possible?

Oprah Winfrey

Sam Walton

Ray Croc

Bill Gates

Chuck Norris

Probable?Foreclosures at a record level

Bankruptcies at a record level

Savings in the negative numbers

Millions without health insurance

Food shelves- record use